


too little, too late

by justjoy



Series: stories of baker street: fills from the sherlock bbc kink meme [2]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Gen, Post Reichenbach
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-02
Updated: 2012-07-02
Packaged: 2017-11-20 07:04:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 733
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/582614
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justjoy/pseuds/justjoy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>Detective Inspector Lestrade is, without doubt, grateful to Mycroft Holmes for saving his career from certain doom.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>But Greg, plain old Greg Lestrade, just lost a friend and his life's work in one fell swoop, and he isn't quite ready to move on yet.</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	too little, too late

**Author's Note:**

> Post-Reichenbach, so obvious spoilers if you haven't watched it yet.

Greg walks into the first phone booth he sees. He shuts the door behind him and leans on it; it isn't quite perfect, but it is enough to shut out the noise of London, of the bustling streets. Enough to let him think.

He closes his eyes and counts to ten, slowly and steadily, then reaches out for the phone. He's not really ready yet - he won't ever be, Greg thinks, not now, not ever - but at least he's come to a decision.

Some part of Greg's mind expects the phone to ring before he even picks the receiver up. It isn't really unreasonable, he thinks, given what he's come to know of Sherlock's brother over the years. Thankfully though, it doesn't, so he stalls for a few more seconds before speaking.

"I don't want it."

His voice is surprisingly even for what he's about to do, although somewhat hoarse from the events of the past week.

He tightens his grip on the phone receiver, takes a deep breath. "I know you're listening, Mr Holmes. I don't know what you said to the Comissioner, but I think I can guess. Don't get me wrong, I'm thankful for what you've done, but - I just can't go back there now, okay?"

His words run dry, and Greg is abruptly aware of the listening presence as he waits for a response.

"Call me Mycroft, please." The voice on the other end of the line sounds grave. "Are you sure this is what you want, Detective Inspector?"

Greg sighs. He doesn't know how to answer that - or, more accurately, he has so many answers to that he doesn't know which one to choose. Detective Inspector Lestrade is, without doubt, grateful to Mycroft Holmes for saving his career from certain doom. But Greg, plain old Greg Lestrade, just lost a friend and his life's work in one fell swoop, and he isn't quite ready to move on yet. He will be grateful to Mycroft for this someday, he knows, when he can finally return to his job without being plagued by the doubt of his superiors, or the sideway glances of his subordinates. Someday, when he can return to his sworn duty, head held high.

But not today.

He tells Mycroft as much, although he carefully edits out the parts about Sherlock. Greg isn't stupid - he knows Mycroft will figure it out anyway, but at least he won't have to say it out loud himself.

"As you wish. I will settle the matter..." Mycroft's voice trails off into silence.

"Greg," he supplies, suppressing an odd burst of humour at the realisation that Mycroft doesn't quite know how to address him, now that he isn't really a Detective Inspector anymore. At the very least, he's sure the elder Holmes actually does know his name, unlike...

And then it hits him in full force - that this is  _Sherlock's brother_  he's talking to, and no matter how much they irritated each other Greg knows that they cared for each other more.

"I'm stopping by 221B later," he says without really meaning to. "See how John's doing. You want to come?"

There is a pause before Mycroft replies, and Greg rather fancies it sounds surprised. "If you wouldn't mind..."

"Of course." He almost rolls his eyes - politicians and their roundabout ways. "We could all do with a cup of Mrs Hudson's tea, I expect."

For a moment, Greg is very certain that the elder Holmes is about to back out completely. But Mycroft only says, "That would be excellent."

"I'll see you there then. And Mycroft?" There is a genuine smile on his face. "Thank you."

Greg hangs up and leaves the phone booth without waiting for a response.

He might very well have interrupted some global conference or top-secret plans Mycroft might have had for the evening. He has just hung up on the most dangerous man in London and possibly the world. He has probably been put on leave from work until further notice, although he suspects it will at least be paid if Mycroft has his way.

But despite all that, Greg feels oddly light-hearted as he walks down the street, buoyed by something he can't quite identify. Maybe it's relief, maybe hope, he can't be sure. All he knows is that it's better than he has been for the past week.

Smiling, Greg starts off for Baker Street.

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted as a fill to [this prompt](http://sherlockbbc-fic.livejournal.com/19743.html?thread=118164511#t118164511) on the LiveJournal meme:
> 
> "I've seen lots of fic with references to Lestrade's job taking a hit for The Fall. I'd love if meme could provide fic with more of a concentration on that and the way Mycroft intervenes to protect Lestrade from the worst of it."


End file.
